Mend The Yorkshire Dales!

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Campaign Backers

Lion-shaped Ingleborough looms over Yorkshire like a proud guardian. But now it needs your help.

Approximately 60,000 walkers complete the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge each year, at a conservative estimate raising five million pounds for charitable causes.

Every one of them walks over the Swine Tail, the last climb before reaching the iconic summit of Ingleborough from the north.

The problem

Over the years this path has become very badly eroded and a wide scar now blights the side of arguably Yorkshire’s finest mountain, making walking unpleasant and undermining the local ecology.

We have tried several path construction techniques over the years, including coconut matting, stone pitching and cobbled steps. But the sheer pressure of use and several wet winters meant none of them have been effective, and the topsoil continues to be lost.

The whole Ingleborough massif is a Special Area of Conservation with European importance and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is also of significant archaeological interest, with the remains of an ancient hilltop sanctuary on its summit.

The solution

The only technique we have found to be sustainable on the very heavily used stretches of the Yorkshire Three Peaks is the use of stone flags. In recent years a number of flagged sections have been installed on the route, leading to restored vegetation and a more sustainable long-term walking surface.

On the Swine Tail we aim to install 325 metres of stepped stone flags and restore a further 500 square metres of eroded ground. We will work closely with Natural England to ensure maximum benefit and minimum disturbance.

What your pledge will achieve

Hitting the target of this campaign will enable us to mend Ingleborough to the highest possible standards. Please give what you can and help keep the Three Peaks Challenge a sustainable, fun challenge for all.  

- Yorkshire Dales National Park

Please note that should the required target not be met to deliver this project, any monies raised may be rolled over to other projects within the Mend Our Mountains campaign.

Rewards will be continually added to projects over the two month course of this campaign - keep an eye on the BMC's Twitter Feed for updates and announcements. 

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